The Art of Lying

Anyone who has ever told a lie (which is anyone who is capable of speech) knows that it isn't always the easiest thing to do, and that to lie successfully does require some skill.  However, there are people out there who are so adept at lying that they almost raise it to an art form.  These people are truly fascinating to watch, but they so often make the mistake of building their lives around the lies that they tell to the point of where they start to get sloppy with their lies and then get caught.  Some examples: Frank Abagnale Jr. (of Catch Me If You Can" fame), Christophe Rocancourt, Bernie Madoff, and, of course, Charles Ponzi.  Moral of the story, keep your lies small and don't let them dominate any part of your life.

Everyone finds themselves in a situation every once in a while where a lie is necessary because honesty would otherwise destroy civilized interactions.  Only this morning, I found myself lying to get out of a scheduled interaction with Mr. Merkin that was to take place tomorrow evening (I really am too nice sometimes).  I now don't have to endure his company and unpleasant sexual actions, and his ego is still intact without having to hear the brutal truth.  So, here are a few tips on telling a successful lie:

1) Always base every lie in some truth.  In the event that the person that you are lying to does not believe you at all, you can have some evidence to show you are telling some variation of a truth.

2) Let yourself believe that your lie could be an actual possibility.  Following point 1 makes it easier to believe the lie because it could be a possibility in an alternate universe.  By believing the lie to be a possibility, you can make it sound more convincing and your body language will reflect the potential of truth.

3) If you have a shit poker face, lie only via text (email, letter, text message).  You don't want your body language to betray you.

4) If you are lying via text, then send it at a time when the receiver will not be able to read it right away, which will give you more time to engage in point 2/come up with a fully fleshed out story to cover your ass.